Project Gutenberg’s The Bobbsey Twins on a Houseboat, by Laura Lee Hope This eBook is for the use of anyone anywhere at no cost and with almost no restrictions whatsoever. You may copy it, give it away or re-use it under the terms of the Project Gutenberg License included with this eBook or online at www.gutenberg.org Title: The Bobbsey Twins on a Houseboat Author: Laura Lee Hope Posting Date: September 26, 2012 [EBook #5948] Release Date: June, 2004 First Posted: September 23, 2002 Language: English Character set encoding: ASCII *** START OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK THE BOBBSEY TWINS ON A HOUSEBOAT *** Produced by Juliet Sutherland, Charles Franks and the Online Distributed Proofreading Team. THE BOBBSEY TWINS ON A HOUSEBOAT BY LAURA LEE HOPE Author Of The “Bobbsey Twins,” “The Outdoor Girls Of Deepdale,” “The Outdoor Girls In Florida,” “The Moving Picture Girls,” “The Moving Picture Girls At Rocky Ranch,” Etc. ILLUSTRATED BOOKS BY LAURA LEE HOPE THE BOBBSEY TWINS SERIES For Little Men and Women THE BOBBSEY TWINS THE BOBBSEY TWINS IN THE COUNTRY THE BOBBSEY TWINS AT THE SEASHORE THE BOBBSEY TWINS AT SCHOOL THE BOBBSEY TWINS AT SNOW LODGE THE BOBBSEY TWINS ON A HOUSEBOAT THE BOBBSEY TWINS AT MEADOW BROOK THE MOVING PICTURE GIRLS SERIES THE MOVING PICTURE GIRLS THE MOVING PICTURE GIRLS AT OAK FARM THE MOVING PICTURE GIRLS SNOWBOUND THE MOVING PICTURE GIRLS UNDER THE PALMS THE MOVING PICTURE GIRLS AT ROCKY RANCH THE MOVING PICTURE GIRLS AT SEA THE OUTDOOR GIRLS SERIES THE OUTDOOR GIRLS OF DEEPDALE THE OUTDOOR GIRLS AT RAINBOW LAKE THE OUTDOOR GIRLS IN A MOTOR CAR THE OUTDOOR GIRLS IN A WINTER CAMP THE OUTDOOR GIRLS IN FLORIDA THE OUTDOOR GIRLS AT OCEAN VIEW CONTENTS CHAPTER I. GOOD NEWS II. SNAP SAVES FREDDIE III. DINAH’S UPSET IV. AT THE HOUSEBOAT V. THE STRANGE BOY VI. FREDDIE’S FIRE ENGINE VII. THE TWO COUSINS VIII. OFF IN THE “BLUEBIRD” IX. SNOOP AND SNAP X. DOWN THE CREEK XI. THE MEAN MAN XII. THE WIRE FENCE XIII. THE RUNAWAY BOY XIV. OFF AGAIN XV. OVERBOARD XVI. THE MISSING SANDWICHES XVII. IN THE STORM XVIII. STRANGE NOISES XIX. SNAP’S QUEER ACTIONS XX. AT THE WATERFALL XXI. WHAT BERT SAW XXII. THE STOWAWAY CHAPTER I GOOD NEWS “What are you doing, Freddie?” asked Bert Bobbsey, leaning over to oil the front wheel of his bicycle, while he glanced at his little brother, who was tying strings about the neck of a large, handsome dog. “Making a harness,” answered Freddie, not taking time to look up. “A harness?” repeated Bert, with a little laugh. “How can you make a harness out of bits of string?” “I’m going to have straps, too,” went on Freddie, keeping busily on with his work. “Flossie has gone in after them. It’s going to be a fine, strong harness.” “Do you mean you are going to harness up Snap?” asked Bert, and he stood his bicycle against the side of the house, and came over to where Freddie sat near the big dog. “Yes. Snap is going to be my horse,” explained Freddie. “I’m going to hitch him to my express wagon, and Flossie and I are going to have a ride.” “Ha! Ha!” laughed Bert. “You won’t get much of a ride with THAT harness,” and he looked at the thin cord which the small boy was winding about the dog’s neck. “Why not?” asked Freddie, a little hurt at Bert’s laughter. Freddie, like all small boys, did not like to be laughed at. “Why, Snap is so strong that he’ll break that string in no time,” said Bert. “Besides—” “Flossie’s gone in for our booty straps, I tell you!” said Freddie. “Then our harness will be strong enough. I’m only using string for part of it. I wish she’d hurry up and come out!” and Freddie glanced toward the house. But there was no sign of his little sister Flossie. “Maybe she can’t find them,” suggested Bert. “You know what you and Flossie do with your books and straps, when you come home from school Friday afternoons—you toss them any old place until Monday morning.” “I didn’t this time!” said sturdy little Freddie, looking up quickly. “I—I put ‘em—I put ‘em—oh, well, I guess Flossie can find ‘em!” he ended, for trying to remember where he had left his books was more than he could do this bright, beautiful, Saturday morning, when there was no school. “I thought so!” laughed Bert, as he turned to go back to his bicycle, for he intended to go for a ride, and had just cleaned, and was now oiling, his wheel. “Well, Flossie can find ‘em, so she can,” went on Freddie, as he held his head on one side and looked at a knotted string around the neck of Snap, the big dog. “I wonder how Snap is going to like it?” asked Bert. “Did you ever hitch him to your express wagon before, Freddie?” “Yes. But he couldn’t pull us.” “Why not?” “‘Cause I only had him tied with strings, and they broke. But I’m going to use our book straps now, and they’ll hold.” “Maybe they will—if you can find ‘em—or if Flossie can,” Bert went on with a laugh. Freddie said nothing. He was too busy tying more strings about Snap’s neck. These strings were to serve as reins for the dog-horse. Since Snap would not keep them in his mouth, as a horse does a bit, they had to go around his neck, as oxen wear their yokes. Snap stretched out comfortably on the grass, his big red tongue hanging out of his mouth. He was panting, and breathing hard, for he and Freddie had had a romping play in the grass, before quieting down for the horse-game. “There, Snap!” Freddie exclaimed, after a bit. “Now you’re almost hitched up. I wish Flossie would hurry up with those straps.” Freddie Bobbsey stood up to look once more toward the house, which his little twin sister had entered a few minutes before, having offered to go in and look for the book straps. She had not come back, and Freddie was getting Impatient. At last the little girl appeared on the side porch. Her yellow hair blew in the gentle June breeze, making sort of a golden light about her head. “Freddie! Freddie!” she cried. “I can’t find ‘em! I can’t find the book straps anywhere!” “Why, I put ‘em—I put ‘em—” said Freddie helplessly, trying to remember where he had put them, when he came in from school the day before. “You’ve got to come and help me hunt for ‘em!” Flossie went on. “Mamma says she can’t find the straps.” “All right. I’ll come,” spoke Freddie. “Snap, you stay here!” he ordered, but the big dog only blinked, and stuck out his tongue farther than ever. Perhaps he had already made up his mind what he would do when Freddie let him alone. Off toward the house went the little fat Freddie. He was pretty plump—so much so that his father often called him a little “fat fireman.” Freddie was very fond of playing fireman, ever since the time he had owned a toy fire engine. But to-day he had other ideas. “I’ll find those straps,” he said, as he toddled off. “Then we’ll hitch Snap to my express wagon, and Flossie and I’ll have a fine ride. Don’t you run away, Snap.” Snap did not say whether he would or not. Flossie, standing on the side porch, waited for her little brother. She was just his age, and only a little smaller in height. She was just about as fat and plump as was Freddie, and both had light curly hair. They made a pretty picture together, and if Freddie was a “fat fireman” Flossie was a “fat fairy,” which pet name her father often called her. “Did you look under the sofa for the straps?” asked Freddie when he had joined his sister. “Yes. I looked there, and—and—everywhere,” she answered. “I can’t find ‘em.” “Maybe Snap hid ‘em,” suggested Freddie. “Maybe,” agreed Flossie. “He would, if he knew you were going to hitch him up with ‘em.” “Pooh. He couldn’t know that,” said Freddie. “I didn’t know it myself until a little while ago, and I didn’t tell anybody but you.” “Well, maybe Snap heard us talking about it,” went on Flossie. “He’s awful smart, you know, Freddie, from having been in a circus.” “But he isn’t smart enough for that, even if he can do lots of tricks,” Freddie went on. “There’s Snoop!” he exclaimed, as a big, black cat ran across the lawn. “Maybe SHE took our book straps.” “She couldn’t,” said Flossie. “Our books were in ‘em, and they’d be too heavy for Snoop to drag.” “That’s so,” admitted Freddie. “Well, come on, we’ll find ‘em!” The twins went into the house and began searching for the straps. High and low they looked, in all the usual, and unusual, places, where they sometimes tossed their books when they came in from school Friday afternoons, with the joyous cry of: “No more lessons until Monday! Hurray!” But this time they seemed to have tossed their books and straps into some very much out-of-the-way place, indeed. “We can’t find ‘em,” said Flossie. “Can’t you take some strong string, to tie Snap to the wagon, instead of the straps, Freddie?” “I don’t think so,” he answered. “I know what to do. Let’s ask Dinah. Maybe she’s seen ‘em.” “Oh, yes, let’s!” agreed Flossie, and together they hurried to the kitchen where Dinah, the big, good- natured, colored cook, was rattling the pots and pans. “Dinah! Dinah!” cried Flossie and Freddie in a twins’ chorus. “Yep-um, honey-lambs! What yo’ all want?” asked Dinah, opening the oven door, to let out a little whiff of a most delicious smell, and then quickly closing it again. “Ef yo’ wants a piece ob cake, it ain’t done yit!” “Oh, Dinah! We don’t want any cake!” said Freddie. “What’s dat? Yo’ don’t want cake?” and Dinah quickly straightened up, put her fat hands on her fat hips, and looked at the two children in surprise. “Yo—don’t—want—no cake!” gasped Dinah. “What’s de mattah? Yo’ all ain’t sick, is yo’?” For that was the only reason she could think of why Flossie and Freddie should not want cake—as they generally did Saturday morning. “No, we’re not sick,” said Flossie, “and we’d like a piece of cake a little later, please Dinah. But just now we want our book straps. Have you seen ‘em?” “Book straps! Book straps!” exclaimed Dinah in great surprise. “Go ‘long wif yo’ now! I ain’t got no time to be bodderin’ wif book straps, when dey’s pies an’ puddin’s an’ cakes t’ bake. Trot along now, an’ let ole Dinah be! Book straps! Huh!” Flossie and Freddie knew there was little use in “bodderin’” Dinah any more, especially when she was in the midst of her baking. “Come on, Flossie,” spoke Freddie. “We’ll have another look for those straps. Next time I’ll put our books where we can find ‘em.” Once more the children started through the different rooms. They looked everywhere. But no straps could they find. “You see what a lot of trouble it makes, not only for you, but for others as well, when you don’t take care of your books,” said Mrs. Bobbsey gently. She knew it would be a good lesson for the twins to search for their things. Next time they might remember. Suddenly, from out in the yard, came a shout. “Freddie! Freddie! Come out here, quick!” “That’s Bert!” exclaimed Freddie. “Oh, maybe he’s found the straps, so we can harness up Snap,” cried Flossie. But Bert’s next words soon told the younger twins that it was no such good luck as that, for he cried: “Snap’s running away, Freddie! He’s running away. If you’re going to harness him up you’ll have to catch him!” “Oh dear!” cried Flossie. “Come on, help me catch him!” called Freddie. Together they ran into the yard. As Bert had said, Snap, getting tired of being tied to a post with a thin string, had broken the cord, and now was racing over the fields after another dog with whom he often played. “Come back, Snap! Come back!” cried Freddie. Snap paid no heed. Just then, through the front gate, came a girl. She looked so much like Bert, with his dark hair and eyes, with his slimness and his tallness, that you could tell at once she was his sister. As soon as Flossie saw her, she cried: “Oh, Nan! We were going to hitch Snap to the express wagon, but Freddie and I can’t find our straps, and Snap ran away, and—and—” “Never mind, Flossie dear,” said Nan. “Wait until you hear the good news I have for you!” “Good news?” exclaimed Bert, coming away from his bicycle, toward his twin sister. “Yes, the very best!” Nan went on. “It’s about a houseboat! Now, Flossie and Freddie, sit down on the grass and I’ll tell you all about the good news!” CHAPTER II SNAP SAVES FREDDIE Down on the soft green grass of the lawn, sat the two sets of Bobbsey twins. Yes, there were two “sets” of them, and I shall tell you how that was, in a little while. “Begin at the beginning,” suggested Bert to his sister. He always liked to hear all of anything, so Nan prepared to skip nothing. “Well,” said Nan, as she leaned over to re-tie the bow of Flossie’s hair ribbon. It had become loose in the hurried search for the book straps. “Well, you know I went down to papa’s lumber office this morning, to bring him the letter that came here to the house by mistake. It was a letter from—” “You can skip that part of it,” suggested Bert. “I don’t want to wait so long about hearing the news.” “Well, I thought I’d tell you everything,” said Nan. “Anyhow, when I was in papa’s office he bought it.” “What did he buy?” asked Freddie, getting to the point more quickly than Bert would have done. “What’d he buy, Nan?” “A houseboat,” went on the older girl twin. “Mr. Marvin was there, and he sold papa the Marvin houseboat. Oh! and such fun as we’re—” “What’s a houseboat?” interrupted Flossie. “It’s a boat with a house on it, of course,” spoke Bert, eagerly. “I know. I’ve seen lots of them. You can live in them just like in a house, only it’s on water. There’s more room in a houseboat than in a regular boat. Go on, Nan.” “Are we going to live in it?” asked Freddie. “I think so—at least part of the time,” said Nan. “Now I’ll tell you all I know about it. I couldn’t stay to ask all I wanted to, as papa was busy. Besides, it was sort of a secret, and I found it out by accident before he meant me to. So you mustn’t tell mamma yet—it’s to be a surprise to her,” and Nan looked at the two smaller twins, and raised a cautioning finger. “I won’t tell,” promised Flossie. “Neither will I,” promised Freddie. “Is that all you’re going to tell us, Nan?” “Well, isn’t that enough?” demanded Nan. “I think it’s just fine, that we’re going to have a houseboat! I’ve always wanted one.” “So have I,” spoke Bert. “Go on, Nan! Tell me more about it. How big is it? Is there an engine in it? Where is it? Can we go on board? When is papa going to get it? Is there a room for me in it? I wonder if I can run the engine and steer? How much did it cost?” “Gracious!” cried Nan, pretending to cover her ears with her hands. “It will take me all morning, Bert, to answer those questions. Please start over again.” “First tell me where I can see the boat,” suggested Bert. “I want to go look at it.” “It’s down in the lake,” said Nan. “Come on, Flossie,” spoke Freddie. “There’s Snap coming back now, and maybe we can catch him. Then we’ll harness him up. Dinah ought to be done with her baking now, and maybe she can find those straps for us. Here, Snap!” Flossie and Freddie, being some years younger than Bert and Nan, did not care to bear much more about the houseboat just then. That they were going to have one was enough for them. They were much pleased and delighted, but they had the idea of hitching Snap to the express wagon, and they could not get that out of their minds. “You go in and ask Dinah to help you look for the straps,” directed Freddie to his little sister, “and I’ll catch Snap. Here, Snap! Snap!” he called to the dog who had come back into the yard after a romp and frolic with his animal friend. Snap was glad enough to stretch out on the grass and rest. He was tired from his run. Freddie put his arms around the dog’s neck, and laid his head down on the shaggy coat. “Now you can’t run away again,” said Freddie, as he pretended to go to sleep, while Flossie toddled into the house once more, to have another look for the missing book straps. At a little distance from Freddie sat Nan and Bert, talking about the houseboat, and the good times they would have on board. Freddie roused up, and looked toward the house. Flossie had not yet come out. “It takes her a long time,” said the little boy. “We won’t have any ride at all, if she doesn’t hurry up.” Then Freddie saw something else that attracted his attention. This was Bert’s bicycle, leaning now against the side of a shed. Bert was too much interested in the houseboat to want to ride just then. A new idea came into Freddie’s head. “I’m going to have a ride on Bert’s wheel, while I’m waiting for Flossie to come out with the straps,” said the little twin chap. “Bert won’t care.” Freddie did not take any chances on asking Bert. His elder brother was still busy talking to Nan about the new houseboat. Freddie scrambled to his feet. “Now you stay there, Snap!” he commanded the big dog, for Snap, ready again for some fun, was anxious to follow his little master. “Lie down, Snap!” ordered Freddie, and Snap again stretched out. Freddie walked slowly over toward the bicycle. Of course he was too small to ride it in the regular way, with his feet on the pedals, for his little legs were not long enough to reach them. But he could sit on the seat, and Bert had taught him how to steer a little, so that though a bicycle has only two wheels, and will tip over if it is not properly guided, Freddie could manage to ride a little way on it without toppling over, especially if some one put him on and gave him a push, or if he was given a start down a little hill. “I’m going to have a ride,” thought Freddie. “I’ll have a little ride, while I’m waiting for Flossie.” Freddie had a velocipede of his own, but that had three wheels instead of two. Freddie thought two wheels were much more fun than three. “If I can get up on that bicycle, I’ll have a nice ride,” murmured Freddie. He looked toward the house. Flossie was not in sight. She had not yet found the straps. Then Freddie looked toward Bert and Nan. They were still busy talking about the houseboat. They paid no attention to Freddie. The little twin chap looked around until he had found a small box. By stepping on this he could get up on the seat of the bicycle, which was leaning against the shed. Then Freddie could give himself a little push, and away he would go. There was a little hill leading from where the bicycle stood down to the gate, and into the road. The gate was open. “Maybe I can even ride down the road a little way,” thought Freddie to himself. “That would be great.” It was rather hard work for Freddie to get up on the bicycle from the box, but he managed it. Then he sat on the leather saddle, and took hold of the handle bars. As I have told you, he knew how to steer, even though he could not reach the pedals. “Here I go!” cried Freddie softly, as he gave himself a little push. Down the hill he went, along the path, straight for the yard gate. “Oh! I’m going out in the road!” exclaimed Freddie, this time out loud, for he was far enough away from Nan and Bert now. And into the road he did go, on Bert’s bicycle. The wheel was going faster and faster, for Bert had just oiled it and it rode very smoothly. “This is great!” Freddie cried. “Maybe I can ride all the way to the bridge.” He looked down the road to where a little white bridge spanned a small brook. And then, as Freddie looked, he saw something which made his heart beat very fast indeed. For, coming right toward him, was a team of horses, hitched to a big lumber wagon—it was one of Freddie’s papa’s own lumber teams, as the little boy could see for himself. On came the trotting team, pulling the heavily laden lumber wagon, and, worst of all, there was no driver on the seat to guide the horses. They were trotting away all by themselves, and Freddie was out in the road, on the bicycle that was far too big for him. “Oh dear!” cried Freddie. Just then he heard Flossie scream. She had come out on the side porch, and she saw the team coming toward her little brother. “Nan! Bert!” screamed Flossie. “Look at Freddie!” Nan and Bert jumped up and raced down the path. “Freddie’s in trouble again!” thought Bert. It was not the first time Freddie had gotten into mischief. Though usually he was a pretty good boy, he sometimes made trouble without intending to. I have told you there were two sets of Bobbsey twins, and those of you who have read the first book of this series know what I mean by that. The first book is called “The Bobbsey Twins,” and in that I told you how the Bobbsey family lived in an eastern city called Lakeport, at the head of Lake Metoka. Mr. Bobbsey was a lumber merchant, and owned a large sawmill, and a yard, near the lake, in which yard were piled many stacks of lumber. Nan and Bert were the older Bobbsey twins, being past nine, while Flossie and Freddie were about “half-past-five.” So you see that is how there were two sets of twins. Nan was a tall, slender girl, with a dark face and red cheeks. Her eyes were brown, and so were her curls. Bert, too, was quite dark, like Nan. Flossie and Freddie were very light, with blue eyes. They were short and fat, instead of tall and thin. So you see the two sets of twins were very different. Oh! such good times as the Bobbsey twins had! I could not tell you all of them, if I wrote a dozen books. But some of the good times I have related in the first book. In the second, called “The Bobbsey Twins in the Country,” there are more happenings mentioned. Uncle Daniel Bobbsey, his wife Sarah, and their son Harry lived in the country, at a place called Meadow Brook, and there the twins often went on their vacation. Uncle William Minturn, and his wife Emily, with their nine-year-old daughter Dorothy, lived at Ocean Cliff. As you might guess, this was on the coast, and in the third book, “The Bobbsey Twins at the Seashore,” I have told you of the good times the children had there, how they saw a wreck, and what came of it. In “The Bobbsey Twins at School” you will find out how they came to get the dog Snap, as a pet. They already had a black cat, named Snoop, but one day, when the twins, with their father and mother, were on a railroad train, something happened, and Snoop was lost. They found Snap, instead. He was a circus dog, and—but there, if you want to read of Snap, you must do so in the book about him. I shall tell you this much, though. Snap was a very fine dog, and could do many tricks, and in the end the Bobbseys kept him for a pet, as well as getting back their lost cat Snoop. When school was over for the winter holidays one year, the Bobbseys went to “Snow Lodge,” and in the book of that name I have told you about a queer mystery the twins helped solve while out amid the snow and ice. Now the Bobbseys were back in their fine house in Lakeport, where Dinah, the fat cook, gave them such good things to eat, and where Sam Johnson, her husband, kept the lawns so nice and green for the children to play on. Just now Freddie Bobbsey would have been very glad, indeed, to be playing on that same lawn instead of being on his brother’s bicycle, rolling toward the team of lumber horses, who were coming straight for him. “Oh, look at Freddie! Look at Freddie!” screamed Flossie, dropping the two book straps which she had at last found. “Save him, Nan! Bert! Oh, Freddie!” “I ‘clar t’ goodness!” exclaimed fat Dinah in the kitchen. “Dem chillens am up t’ some mo’ trouble!” “Freddie, steer to one side! Steer out of the way!” shouted Bert, as he ran for the gate. He could not hope to reach his little brother in time, though. Freddie was too frightened and excited to steer. The bicycle was going fast—faster than he had ever ridden on it before. All he could do was to sit tight, and hold fast to the handle bars. “Oh, he’ll be run over!” cried Nan, as she, too, raced after Bert. The team, with no driver to guide it, ran faster and faster. Freddie began to cry. And then, all at once, the front wheel of the bicycle ran over a stone, and turned to one side. The handle bars were jerked from Freddie’s grasp, and over he went, wheel and all! Luckily for him, he fell to one side of the road, on the soft grass, or he might have been injured, but, as it was, the fall did not hurt him at all. One of his little fat legs, though, became tangled up in the wire spokes of the front wheel, and Freddie lay there, with the wheel on top of him, unable to get up. “Oh, Bert! Bert!” screamed Nan. “Grab him—quick!” shouted Dinah, waddling down the walk. But she was too fat to go fast enough to do any good. “Roll out of the way, Freddie!” cried Bert. Freddie was too much entangled in the wheel to be able to move. And, all the while, the lumber team was coming nearer and nearer to him. Would the horses, with no driver at the reins, know enough to turn to one side, or would the wheels roll over poor Freddie and the bicycle? Nan covered her face with her hands. She did not want to look at what was going to happen. “I must get there in time to pull him out of the way!” thought Bert, as he ran as fast as he could. But the team was almost on Freddie now. Suddenly the dog Snap, who had jumped up when he heard the shouts, saw what the danger was. Snap knew about horses, and he was smart enough to know that Freddie was in danger. Without waiting for anyone to tell him what to do, Snap ran straight for the lumber team. Leaping up in front of them, and barking as loudly as he could, Snap turned the trotting horses to one side. And just in time, too, for, a little more, and one of the front wheels of the heavily loaded lumber wagon would have run over the bicycle in which Freddie was still entangled. “Bow wow!” barked Snap. The horses were perhaps afraid of being bitten, though Snap was very gentle. At any rate, they turned aside, and would have run on faster, only Snap, leaping up, grabbed the dangling reins in his teeth and pulled hard on them. “Whoa!” called Bert. When the horses heard this, and felt the tug on the lines, they knew it meant to stop. And stop they did. Snap had saved Freddie. CHAPTER III DINAH’S UPSET “What’s the matter? What has happened?” asked Mrs. Bobbsey, who had run out to the front porch, upon hearing the excited cries, and the exclamations of fat Dinah, the cook. “Oh! has anything happened to any of the children?” “Yes’m, I s’pects there has, ma’am,” said Dinah. “Pore li’l Freddie am done smashed all up flatter’n a pancake, Mrs. Bobbsey!” “Freddie—Oh!” “He’s all right!” shouted Bert, who had, by this time, reached his little brother, and was lifting him out of the bicycle. “Not hurt a bit, are you, Freddie?” “N—no, I—I guess not,” said Freddie, a bit doubtfully. “I—I’m scared, though.” “Nothing to be frightened at now, Freddie,” said Bert, holding up the little chap, so his mother could see him. “Why, Freddie isn’t hurt, Dinah,” said Mrs. Bobbsey, in great relief. “What made you think so?” “Well, I seed him all tangled up in dat two-wheeled velocipede ob Bert’s, an’ de hoss team was comin’ right down on de honey-lamb. I thought shuah he was gwine t’ be squashed flatter’n a pancake. But he ain’t! Bless mah soul he ain’t! Oh, dere’s mah cake burnin’!” and into the kitchen ran Dinah, glad, indeed, that nothing had happened worse than the scare Freddie received. “Good Snap! Good old dog!” said Nan, as she patted his head. “Bow wow!” barked Snap. He still held the horse reins in his strong white teeth. He was not going to let the horses go yet. “Oh, Freddie!” cried Mrs. Bobbsey, when she understood what had happened. “What danger you were in! Why did you take Bert’s wheel?” “I—I wanted a ride, Mamma. I didn’t think I’d fall off, or that the team would come.” “You must never do it again,” said Mrs. Bobbsey. “Never get on Bert’s wheel again, unless he is with you to hold you. You are, too small, yet, for a bicycle.” “Yes’m,” said Freddie in a low voice. “But where is the driver of the wagon?” went on Mrs. Bobbsey, looking at the empty seat. “Maybe he fell off,” suggested Nan, who had taken Freddie from Bert, the latter picking up his wheel, and looking to see if it had been damaged by the fall. But it was all right. “Here comes a driver now,” said Flossie, who saw one of the men from her father’s lumber yard hurrying along the road. “Is anybody hurt?” the man asked, as he came up, running and breathing fast, for he had come a long way. “No one, I think,” answered Mrs. Bobbsey. “But my little boy had a very narrow escape.” “I am sorry,” said the driver. “I left the team standing out in front of the lumber yard, while I went in the office to find out where I was to deliver the planks. When I came out the horses were trotting away. I guess they were scared by something. I ran fast, but I could not catch them.” “Snap caught them for you,” said the twins’ mother, as she looked at the former circus dog, who was still holding the horse-reins. “Yes, he’s a good dog,” the lumber wagon driver said. “I was afraid, when I saw how far the horses had gone, that they might do some damage. But I’m glad no one was hurt.” “I think we all are glad,” spoke Mrs. Bobbsey. “It was partly my little boy’s own fault, for he should not have gotten on his brother’s bicycle. But he won’t do it again.” “No, I never will!” promised Freddie, as he rubbed his leg where it had been bruised a little from becoming tangled up in the wire spokes. Snap barked and wagged his tail, as the driver took the lines from him, and then, when the man drove off with the horses and the load of lumber, Mrs. Bobbsey went with the twins back into the yard. “Well, I’m glad all the excitement is over,” she said. “Where were you, Nan? Grace Lavine called for you, but I looked out in the yard and did not see you, so she went away again.” “Why, I went down to papa’s office, Mamma, with that letter you gave me for him.” “Yes, I know, but I supposed you had come back. What kept you so long?” “Well, I—er—I was talking to papa, and–” Nan did not want to go on, for she did not want to tell that she had been talking about the houseboat. Mr. Bobbsey had been intending to keep that as a little secret surprise for his wife, but now, if her mother asked about it, Nan felt she would have to tell. She hardly knew what to say, but just then something happened that made everything all right. Mr. Bobbsey himself came hurrying down the street, from the direction of his lumber office. He seemed much excited, and his hat was on crooked, as though he had not taken time to put it on straight. “Is everything all right?” he called to his wife. “None of the children hurt?” “No, none of them,” she answered with a smile. Mr. Bobbsey could see that for himself now, since Freddie and Flossie were going up the walk together, Freddie tying one of the book straps around the dog’s neck, while Nan and Bert followed behind them, with Mrs. Bobbsey. “Someone telephoned to me,” said the lumber merchant, “that they saw one of our teams running away down this street, and I was afraid our children, or those of some of the neighbors, might be hurt. So I hurried down to see. Did you notice anything of a runaway team?” “Yes,” said Mrs. Bobbsey. “But everything is all right now. Only I haven’t yet heard what it was that kept Nan so long down at your office,” and she smiled. Nan looked at her father, and Mr. Bobbsey looked at Nan. Then they both smiled and laughed. “To tell you the truth,” said Mr. Bobbsey, with another smile, “Nan discovered a secret I was not going to tell at once.” “A secret?” asked Mrs. Bobbsey in surprise. “Yes, it’s about–” began Nan. Then she stopped. “Go on. You might as well tell her,” said Mr. Bobbsey, laughing. “I know!” exclaimed Freddie, who was all over his fright now. “It’s about a boathouse and–” “A houseboat!” interrupted Bert. “You’ve got the cart before the horse, Freddie.” “That’s it!” exclaimed Nan. “Papa has bought the Marvin’s houseboat, Mamma, and we’re going to have lovely times in it this summer.” “And I’m going to run the engine,” declared Bert. “I’m going to be fireman!” cried fat Freddie. “I’m going to put on coal and squirt water on the fires!” “I’m going to sit on deck and play with my dolls,” spoke Flossie, who was trying to climb up on Snap’s back to get a ride. Mrs. Bobbsey looked at her husband. “Really?” she asked. “Have you bought the boat?” “Yes,” he replied, “I have. You know we have been thinking of it for some time. Lake Metoka would be just fine for a houseboat, and we could go on quite a cruise with one. Mr. Marvin wanted to sell his boat, and as he and I had some business dealings, and as he owed me some money, I took the boat in part payment.” “And is it ours now, Papa?” asked Bert. “Yes, the houseboat is ours. It is called the Bluebird, and that is a good name for it, since it is painted blue—like your eyes, little fat fairy!” he cried, catching Flossie up in his arms. “Is it a big boat, Papa?” asked Bert. Like most boys he liked things big and strong. “Well, I think it will be large enough,” said Mr. Bobbsey with a smile as he set down Flossie and caught up Freddie in the same way. “Were you frightened when you fell down and saw the lumber team coming toward you?” he asked. “A little,” Freddie said. “But I wished my legs were long enough so I could ride Bert’s bicycle. Then I could get out of the way.” “You’d better keep away from the wheel until you are bigger,” said his father, who had been told about the accident and the excitement. “But now I must get back to the office. I have plenty of work to do.” “Oh, but can’t you stay just a little longer, to tell us more about the boat!” pleaded Nan. “When can we have a ride in it?” “A boat is called ‘her,’” interrupted Bert, “Well, ‘her’ then,” said Nan. “Tell us about HER, papa. I didn’t hear much at your office.” “You heard more than I meant you to,” said Mr. Bobbsey with a smile. “Nan came in with that letter just as Mr. Marvin and I were finishing our talk about the houseboat,” he went on. “I was going to keep it secret a little longer, but it’s just as well you should know now. “I think you will like the Bluebird. It has a little gasoline engine, so we can travel from place to place. And there is a large living room, a kitchen, several bed rooms and a nice open deck, where we can sit, when it is too hot to be inside.” “Oh, that’s going to be great!” cried Bert. “I want a room near the engine.” “And can I be a fireman?” asked Freddie. “I want to be near mamma—and you,” spoke little Flossie. “Oh, isn’t it going to be lovely!” exclaimed Nan, clapping her hands. “Scrumptious, I call it!” cried Bert, and he ran into the house, through the hall, and into the dining- room, just as big, fat Dinah, the cook, was entering the same room, carefully holding a big cake which she had just covered with white frosting. “Oh dear!” cried Bert, as he ran, full tilt, Into the big cook. “Good land ob massy!” fairly yelled Dinah. “Wha—wha–” But that was all she could say. She tried to save herself from falling, but she could not. Nor could Bert. He went down, on one side of the doorsill, and Dinah sat down, very hard, on the other, the cake bouncing from her hands, up toward her head, and then falling into her lap. CHAPTER IV AT THE HOUSEBOAT “Did—did I hurt you, Dinah?” asked Bert, after he had gotten his breath. “I’m—I’m sorry—but did I hurt you?” “Hurt me? Hurt me, honey lamb? No indeedy, but I done reckon yo’ has hurt yo’se’f, honey! Look at yo’ pore haid!” and she pointed her fat finger at Bert. “Why, what’s the matter with my head?” he asked, putting up his hand. He felt something sticky, and when he looked at his fingers, he saw that they were covered with white stuff. “Oh, it’s the frosting off the cake!” said Nan with a laugh. “You look something like one of the clowns in the circus, Bert, only you haven’t enough of the white stuff on.” “And look at Dinah!” laughed Freddie. “She’s turning white!” “What’s dat, honey lamb? Turnin’ white?” gasped the big, colored cook. “Don’t say dat!” “It’s the cake frosting on Dinah, too!” said Mrs. Bobbsey. “Oh, Bert! why aren’t you a little more careful?” “I’m sorry, mamma,” Bert said, as he watched Dinah wipe the frosting off her face with her apron. “I didn’t know she was coming through the door then.” “And I shore didn’t see yo’, honey lamb,” went on the cook. “Land ob massy! Look at mah cake!” she cried, as she gazed at the mass in her lap. “All de frostin’ am done slid off it!” “Yes, you’re a regular wedding cake yourself, Dinah,” said Mr. Bobbsey, who had come in to see what all the noise meant. “Well, this seems to be a day of excitement. I’m glad it was no worse, though. Better go up stairs and wash, Bert.” “The cake itself isn’t spoiled,” said Mrs. Bobbsey, lifting it from Dinah’s lap, so the colored cook could get up. It was no easy work for her to do this, as she was so fat. But at last, after many groanings and gruntings, she rose to her feet, and took the cake from Mrs. Bobbsey. “I’ll put some mo’ frostin’ on it right away, ma’am,” she said. “An’ I hopes nobody else runs inter me,” she went on with a laugh. “I shuah did feel skeered dat Bert was hurt bad.” They could all laugh at the happening now, and after Mr. Bobbsey had told a little more about the new houseboat, he went back to the office. “Come on, Flossie,” suggested Freddie. “Now you’ve found the book straps, we can hitch Snap to the express wagon. Where’d you find ‘em?” “The straps were on our books, under the hall rack,” said Flossie. “That’s just where I left ‘em!” exclaimed Freddie. “I knew I left ‘em somewhere.” “But next time you must remember,” cautioned his mother. “And remember another thing—no more bicycle rides—you stay on your velocipede.” “Yes’m,” said Freddie. “Come on, Flossie. Where’s Snap?” When the little twins went to look for their big, shaggy pet, who could do so many circus tricks, they could not find him. “Have you seen Snap?” asked Freddie of Dinah’s husband, Sam Johnson, who was out in the barn. “Snap?” repeated the colored man. “Why, Freddie, I done jest see Snap paradin’ down de road wif dat black dog from Mr. Brown’s house.” “Then Snap’s gone away again,” said Flossie with a sigh. “Never mind, Freddie. Let’s play steamboat, and you can be the fireman.” “All right,” he agreed, much pleased with this idea. “We’ll make believe we’re in our new houseboat. Come on.” “Steamboat” was a game the smaller twins often played on the long Saturdays, when there was no school. All they needed was an old soap box for the boat, and some sticks for oars. Then, with some bits of bread or cake, which Dinah gave them to eat, in case they were “shipwrecked,” they had fine times. Meanwhile, Bert and Nan had asked permission of their mother to go over to where some of their boy and girl friends lived, so they were prepared to have a good time, too. “Oh, but what fun we’ll have on the houseboat, won’t we, Bert?” said Nan. “That’s what we will,” he agreed with a laugh. Monday morning came, after Sunday (as it always does if you wait long enough) and the two sets of Bobbsey twins started for school. “I wish we didn’t have to go,” said Bert, as he strapped up his books. “I want to go down to our new houseboat.” “But you must go to school,” said his mother with a smile. “There will not be many more days now. June will soon be over, and you know school closes a little earlier than usual this year. So run along, like good children.” Off they hurried and soon they were mingling with their boy and girl friends, who were also on their way to their classes. “You can’t guess what we’re going to have,” said Freddie to a boy named Johnnie Wilson, who was in his room.